The Legend of the Stars
by Daidairo
Summary: Sequel to 'War of the Elements' (http:www.fanfiction.nets19509401). It has been 11 years since the Fusion Dragon was sealed. It seems that Alex is still alive, however, and is after the Elemental Stars. What is his true purpose this time?
1. The Legend

The Legend of the Stars

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Ahhhh, I finally managed to finish the first chapter!!

This is the sequel to 'The War of the Elements', so please read that before this! Go to: 

Also, several names of original characters are taken off my friends... I don't own them, of course!

Enjoy!

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LuceScuro: Um... I might not be working on the comic... Not yet.

BlackDemon567: It's up, it's up!! ... I'm sorry. Good luck with Blue Eyes.

flamethrowerqueen: Thanks! I also hope this sequel will be as good, if not better!

Germs: Thanks! Hope you like this one too.

Princess Viv: Aww... You always make me feel sooooo happy! ... It's my fault anyway... Don't cry.

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Chapter 1: The Legend

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"Then Isaac drove his sword into the Shaman's Rod, and it cracked. Everyone started to cheer for him, and his confidence grew. The rod shattered, and Sol and Luna sealed the Fusion Dragon forever. Alex and the Wise One were never seen again. The end," Mia finished. The young blond child in front of her wrinkled his forehead.

"Mom, what happened to Queen Remedi? I've always wondered and never asked," he said.

Mia bit her lip. _I still don't like thinking about it... If I had worked faster, maybe she wouldn't have..._

"I'll tell you when you get older, Kristopher. I hope you understand," she said. "Now, go to sleep."

Kristopher laid down in his bed and pulled the covers over himself. "You forgot to say that Isaac married Mia and lived happily ever after."

Mia laughed. "Go to sleep."

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"Mia! I thought you went sailing off with Isaac!" Jenna exclaimed as she climbed off Tiamat's back, holding two tiny red-headed girls. "How come you're in Vale?"

"We did, and enjoyed four years of happiness alone. As soon as Kristopher was born, Dora insisted we stay here," Mia replied rather ruefully. She glanced at the young girls. "I see you've got children of your own. They look just like you!"

"Shara thinks they _act_ too much like me, and Xyrho thinks Garet spends too much time with them," Jenna said, grinning. "This is Katheryn, four years old. And Annetta, three."

The girls chirped a greeting in unison. Mia laughed and petted them gently.

"Kristopher's in school right now, but I'll introduce you to him once he returns. Now, come on in. Felix is here too," Mia opened a side door to the castle of Vale.

"My twitty minded brother? Shouldn't he be in Lalivero?" Jenna asked, following Mia in, ignoring her daughters. Panicking, they followed her in.

Mia sighed. _She needs Dora's lessons on 'How to be a good mother'... _"Well, Lalivero is prospering, and Sheba hates responsiblities. She often leaves everything to her trusted officials, then runs around Kolima and Vale with Felix and their son, Delmon," she answered, stopping in front of the dining hall.

"A son? Oh, please. Felix will raise him to be Mr. Overprotective!" Jenna complained as Mia opened the door.

"On the contrary..."

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"Aww, it was just for fun!" A young male brunette protested.

"It's not my idea of fun, Delmon!" Felix raged. "You know you're psynergy isn't that strong yet. What if you had dropped Annetta?!"

"She's too fat to be seriously hurt," Delmon argued. Annetta wailed even louder. Jenna sighed and petted her daughter.

"You're right, Mia, he's entirely different from Felix. He stayed with Sheba most of the time, didn't he?"

Mia frowned as Annetta continued crying. She lifted the Mars adept and rocked her back and forth. Annetta quietened down immediately, cooing.

"Heaven, Jenna. Doesn't Garet arrange for lessons on being a mother? Or Shara?" Sheba asked.

"Well... Shara tried, but I went hunting all the time. And Garet treats the kids exactly how I do." Jenna replied.

"... Sometimes I wonder why I agreed to let you marry him." Felix groaned.

"Because Garet's actually really nice?" a familiar voice said. Everyone turned to see two blonds at the door, looking extremely alike.

"Isaac! Long time no see!" Jenna cried excitedly.

"Hey, Jenna!" Isaac greeted as he entered. The other Venus adept looked around nervously.

"What took you so long? Delmon's already back," Felix said.

"Sorry. Kraden wanted to talk about something." Isaac replied.

"So... This is Kristopher?" Jenna said, smiling curiously at the young one. He shrank back.

"Yeah. Kris, say hello."

"...H-Hello..."

"He doesn't seem very used to strangers," Jenna observed.

"And he's better behaved than Delmon." Felix added, earning himself a kick from his son.

"Daddy's a meanie."

"... Don't call me 'Daddy'. 'Dad' will do." Felix said.

"...Daddy."

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"A shrine in Prox honours the protector called the Wise One. In the shrine, there is a secret room that holds four statues. They were built to look like miniature lighthouses, hence the names Venus Lighthouse, Mercury Lighthouse, Mars Lighthouse and Jupiter Lighthouse. One of each element," Kristopher stated. Everyone else, namely Dora, Kyle, Isaac, Mia, Jenna, Felix, Sheba, Delmon, Annetta and Katheryn, were gathered around the rug, listening.

"Legend says that when the four Elemental Stars enter the lighthouses, a great burst of power will be released. This power may be used for evil, so the Elemental Stars were sealed in Sol Sanctum, a sacred place in Vale. But the gods believe that one day, good warriors will use the power for good."

Kristopher stopped, looking around nervously. "Ummm... That's what Kraden said."

Applause rang out.

"That's very good for a seven-year-old," Sheba complimented.

"He actually LISTENS to Kraden in class!" Delmon complained.

"You'll be a good storyteller, I can tell," Jenna said. "Maybe I should send Katheryn to school too..."

Her daughter looked alarmed.

"Kris likes stories, both reading and writing, don't you?" Isaac said, stroking his son's hair.

"Well... yes..." Kristopher yawned.

"Okay, that's enough!" Dora said. "Kristopher needs sleep; he's still young. Everyone, it's time for bed."

Isaac rolled his eyes. "Mom, you spoil him way too much."

Dora ignored him and carried her grandson off. Mia slipped her hand into Isaac's.

"I think it's because Kristopher resembles you so much, Dora feels like she's gotten you back. She's never had a chance to see you grow up..." she whispered. Isaac nodded and sighed.

"I know."

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Well, that's the first chapter. Extremely short, I know...

Anyway, 'Kristopher' is taken from Kris and Christopher, two of my good friends. Annetta is taken from Annette, one of my best friends. Katheryn is from a friend of my friend, Catherine, I haven't actually talked to her... Delmon is from another friend, BlackDemon567.

Review please!


	2. Awakening

After yet another extremely long period of time, I'm updating…

Though it might look that way, no, the kids aren't the main characters in this fic. It's the old characters from War of the Elements…

I don't own Golden Sun, nor the statues in the Sol Sanctum… Or the idea about the light and the hole… Camelot does though, ask them.

EDIT: I tried to put in more details… Hope it's better…

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Princess Viv: Well, he thinks it's cool! Yes, I got your email. Don't feel guilty, I should be feeling guilty. About Isaac's child… Yes, but they're not the main characters. And he's only got one son. I might add a daughter later (grin) And oh, he's not the only one. Let's see… (checks Book of Ideas and spots the name Vivenne) Hint, hint

Jake Delfeir: Thanks! Uhh… The name, the name… Hey, I didn't wince when I read a book with the name 'Daidaiiro'. …Add the fact that Daidaiiro was a… goldfish. Thanks again!

Black Demon567: It was originally just the name, and the character was based on what I thought would piss Felix off (sorry for the language). I didn't know you'd be like that… Maybe this chapter would make you think otherwise?

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Chapter 2: Awakening

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"He's turned! Now's our chance!" Delmon whispered. He, Katheryn and Kristopher tiptoed past the guard in front of Sol Sanctum. Quietly, they swung open the door and entered.

"It's tiny," Katheryn whispered.

The sanctum was as small as a cottage. The only room had mosaics of Sol and Luna on the ground. Large stone statues lined the walls and surrounded the mosaics.

"I thought Kraden said that the Elemental Stars were sealed here," Delmon said. "There's nothing here to prove it. No anvils, or… holes in the walls… The stars can't be kept on the floor, right?"

"Maybe there's a hidden room," Katheryn said. "There must be a switch somewhere…"

The three wandered around the room, staring at the statues. Kristopher noticed that the four statues around the picture of Sol each held a stone box in its hands, whereas the statues near Luna did not. He raised his hand.

"Move!" he called. One statue moved closer to the mosaic of Sol and fell neatly into a shallow hole. A bright ray of light shot out from the tiny box, shining on a quarter of the mosaic. Delmon's eyes gleamed.

"I _knew_ there's something strange about these statues! Let's move the rest of them too!" he yelled.

As soon as the final ray of light shone on the mosaic, a hole appeared in the ground. The light died.

"Well, that must be entrance to the secret room! Let's go!" Katheryn said happily.

"I don't like this. Let's go back," Kristopher pleaded. "There's an eerie aura coming from it."

"Come on! Don't be a coward!" Delmon laughed. He jumped into the hole.

"Wait for me!" Katheryn called as she leapt after him. Kristopher sighed.

"And this is 'studying Alchemy'?" He jumped.

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"Isn't he home yet?" Mia asked in surprise.

"I'm not sure. I've searched everywhere!" Dora said worriedly. "Queen Sheba is looking for young Delmon too."

"Katheryn's not here either," Sheba called, popping her round blond head in with Jenna.

"Oh dear. Where can they be?" Dora fretted.

"What's all the fuss about?" Felix asked as he entered with Isaac.

"Your sons and my daughter have gone MISSING, that's what!" Jenna cried. Felix's jaw dropped. Isaac's eyes widened.

"Kris said he was going with Katheryn and Delmon to study Alchemy. Aren't they back yet?" he asked.

"Study Alchemy?"

"Well, that's what Delmon said, apparently."

"You can't trust what Delmon says!" Sheba shouted. "They're probably trapped in a river or something now!"

A young servant girl ran in as every one of the females screamed.

"Uhhh… Your Majesties, Prince Kristopher was last seen running off to the north of Vale with Prince Delmon and Princess Katheryn," she said with an Am-I-Here-At-the-Right-time expression.

"After them!" Felix yelled. They dashed out of the castle.

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"Cool…" Delmon breathed.

The secret room of Sol Sanctum was fairly large. A large boulder stood directly below the entrance. Four platforms rose in the corners. On each platform was a marble statue. The hands were curved, one on top of another, as if they were holding something.

"This is it!" Katheryn said. "The stars must've been kept in these statues!"

"Like Master Kraden said, there's nothing now," Delmon said. "Sad."

"…Sad? That means, if the Stars were here, you would do something with them, wouldn't you?" Kristopher asked dryly.

"But of course! I'd use them to… um… extort candy? Bully Master Kraden?… I know! We can conquer the world with them!" Delmon said. "That's is. My next goal is to conquer the world!"

Katheryn rolled her eyes. "So what if you do conquer the world?"

"… Well, I'd be able to eat as much sugar as I want?"

"Doesn't Aunt Sheba let you eat sugar?" Kristopher asked.

"She does, but… Well, there's a lot of 'too-much-sugar-is-bad-for-your-health' talk."

"Let's go already. I'm getting hungry," Katheryn said. She seemed to have inherited her father's love for food.

"Ah well. It's not as if we can do anything else here anyway." Delmon agreed.

Katheryn climbed onto the large round boulder. Strange symbols and characters were engraved all over it. She heaved herself up through the hole nimbly and grinned down at the boys. "It's not difficult, come on."

"All right," Delmon also climbed onto the boulder. As he struggled to get up, Kristopher saw a hole in the boulder glow with light. Startled, he moved towards it.

"Help me…" a weak voice said. Delmon looked down.

"Did you say something?"

"No," Kristopher replied, bewildered. He stared at the hole. It was empty. Puzzled, he climbed onto the boulder.

"Help me, someone…" the voice repeated.

"What… Where are you?" Kristopher asked. Delmon and Katheryn stared at him in surprise.

"I'm trapped under the boulder. You have to help me."

"How? Should I get my parents?" Kristopher asked, looking over the side of the boulder. He saw nothing.

"Too… late… Move the boulder with your psynergy…"

"Oy! What's up?" Delmon called. "Come on up!"

"Someone's trapped under this boulder! Delmon, Katheryn, go get help. I'll try to free him," Kristopher replied, jumping down from the rock.

"Okay!" Katheryn shouted. "Let's go, Demon."

"Don't call me a demon! You're…" Delmon's voice faded.

Kristopher closed his eyes and raised both hands, concentrating like how he was taught.

"Move!"

The boulder shook, but did not budge.

"Use more energy! Try harder!" the voice urged. Kristopher gritted his teeth and placed his hands on the rock.

"Move!" he cried again. The large psynergy hand that appeared melted and sank into the boulder. All the inscriptions lit up with bright blue light.

As Kristopher moved away, amazed, the boulder shifted off, revealing a stone anvil. It gleamed brightly, and the figure of a man materialised on it. He had long blue hair and sea blue eyes, the usual traits of a Mercury adept. He held a long wooden staff in his hand.

"Thank you, young man. You have my deepest gratitude," the man said. The staff in his hand shone. "You are… Kristopher… Seven years old, studies at Kraden's school…"

"How??! Are you a Jupiter Adept?" Kristopher asked in amazement. The blue eyed man shook his head.

"Obviously not. You should be able to tell that I'm a Lemurian, a Mercury Adept. You are not stupid, and you've studied about Lemurians last year."

"If you're not a Jupiter adept… How can you read my mind? If you didn't, how do you know all that?" Kristopher asked nervously. _This man is starting to scare me…_

"Well, some good weapons help a lot." The man grinned. "Now, let me see…"

The staff glowed again. Kristopher stepped back.

"Don't… don't read my mind…"

"Ah. You haven't told a single lie in your life… You've never killed anything personally… You're a vegetarian… I see. You're very useful to me, Kristopher. Would you like to leave with me? We can rule the world…"

"I don't want to!" Kristopher was not just scared now, he was downright frightened. _Rule the world? Leave with him? What does he mean? Who _is_ this man??_

"You don't have a chance, my dear boy…" The staff glowed.

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"Look, everyone's there!" Katheryn said in amazement, pointing at the worried group of rulers talking to the guard of Sol Sanctum.

"Daddy! Mom!" Delmon yelled, waving. The adepts turned.

"Delmon! Katheryn!"

"We were so worried!"

"Where did you go?!"

"More importantly, where's Kristopher?" Dora demanded.

"He's in Sol Sanctum's secret room. Someone's trapped under the stone there, and Kristopher told us to look for help," Katheryn explained.

"Trapped?"

Delmon nodded. "Yes, under the boulder over th…"

His eyes suddenly widened, and he let out a horrified scream, pointing at the sky. An overlarge Firebird was holding on to an extremely terrified Kristopher and flying off. Standing on the back of the monster was the man the young Venus adept rescued.

A very familiar person to many of the adepts present.

"Alex!" Isaac cried. Blood drained out of his face. "How… Why…??!"

The Mercury adept looked down. His eyebrows narrowed, then he grinned.

"It's been a long time. Eleven years, to be exact."

"Let Kristopher go!" Mia cried.

"I'm sorry, my dear princess, that simply isn't possible. Unless you can find someone with a heart as pure as his. I will also admit that I chose this young one because I want revenge for what happened a long time ago." Eyes full of hatred glared at Isaac. "I knew this boy was your son the moment I set eyes on him."

Isaac's eyes flashed with fury.

"Ragnarok!" he yelled, raising both hands. The Firebird raised its claws, holding Kristopher up in front of it. The psynergy sword disintergrated at once.

"Attack and you'll regret it," smirked Alex. "Now, if you'll excuse me…"

He waved the Shaman's Rod and they flew off.

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Well, I know this is short, but I am seriously running out of ideas for the beginning!


	3. Stolen Elemental: The Venus Star

Sorry for the delayed update. I ran out of ideas, so I couldn't write for some time…

Anyway, I forced this chapter out of myself, and I know it's not that good. In fact it seems sort of boring… Please try to enjoy!

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BlackDemon567: Well, that was kinda unexpected, I wanted Delmon to be… sorta insane, you know? As for a sister… Hold it! I have never thought of and would not want to think of Felix and Sheba doing _that_. I mean, come on. Unless you've seen it, you definitely cannot imagine your parents having done that to have you.

Princess Viv: Excuse me? You know me better than that! I will never not feature Piers and Ivan! (raises hand) I sincerely swear to stick to the canon, and I will never throw aside any main character.

Jake Delfeir: I don't seem to be enjoying this one as much as War of the Elements either. I did try to edit chapter 2, but… Maybe that's why so many fics with the official character's kids don't work out. And oh, I'm going to borrow Slasher's food ball gun to shoot you for not going home earlier. XD.

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Chapter 3: Stolen Elemental---The Venus Star

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"I know all about it, Felix," Master Hamma said quietly before the young king opened his mouth.

"I can't believe we just let him go," Jenna said miserably. "We could've followed him or something…"

Everyone in the hall was pale and thoroughly shaken by the entire episode. Dora and Sheba were still in tears. Isaac seemed to be thinking hard.

"Master Hamma, Alex mentioned that he needed 'someone with a heart as pure as his'. What does that mean?" he asked with a grave expression.

"I'm not too sure, but it's probably because there is no trace of any evil in Kristopher's heart, and Alex will make use of that. What I do know is what he wants," the violet-haired mage replied. Her eyes darkened. "Atalanta informed me that 'a pure heart' will release Alex from his seal. Alex intends to light the Elemental Lighthouses in Prox."

"But the Elemental Stars are gone," Delmon exclaimed.

"Not gone. Their location is unconfirmed, but they do not disappear. When the rocks Alex was sealed into went to Sol Sanctum, the stars were disturbed, and therefore scattered. They will probably go to the place with the highest amount of respective power," Hamma explained. "Meaning, the Mercury Star will almost definitely hide in Lemuria. Do you understand?"

"He'll look for the stars in all the kingdoms! That's where we'll look for him!" Mia declared.

"Sheba and I have to return to Lalivero," Felix said regretfully. "We can't help much, except search for the Jupiter Star, before Alex gets it."

"I'll have to take care of Annetta and Katheryn, but I'll follow as soon as Mom can spare me," Jenna said.

"But Alex could go anywhere. We don't know where he'll head for first!" Kyle said worriedly.

"Probably Lemuria, since the Mercury Star is almost definitely there," Sheba said, sniffing. She clutched Delmon's hand tightly. Hamma shook her head.

"Alex does not have the ability to create the Haures' Tear anymore. He cannot find Lemuria without another Water Adept. As far as I can see Mia is the only Lemurian outside the kingdom," she explained patiently. "Alex is trying to get away from here, so he won't search Vale. Vault is too close by. Kolima, Lalivero and Prox have lower psynergy power, so Alex's target should be Contigo and the Jupiter Star."

"Then let's go," Jenna said firmly. "I'll get Garet to join you immediately."

"No. We're all physically and emotionally wiped out now. Furthermore it's in the middle of the night. We'll rest first, then go after Alex tomorrow. After all, I doubt he'll hurt Kristopher if he needs him," Felix said wisely.

"I hope so, I really hope so!!" Dora hugged Kyle, continuing to cry.

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"Dora and I will look after Vale like before," Kyle said quietly as he opened the door to the weaponry. "Good luck with Kristopher and Alex."

Isaac nodded as he removed the Venus Blade from his side.

"I'll bring him back safely, I swear." He placed the sword against the wall and opened a long wooden chest. In it lay the Sol Blade. As he lifted it out, Isaac noticed that the level of energy in the sword had grown a lot. _Strange…_

Mia picked up her Blizzard Ankh (I made this. If it appears in GS3 I shall laugh) and smiled weakly at Isaac. "Ready?"

"Let's go."

Silently, the three went out of the room and headed for the palace gates. The others (I'm not sure if it would be better to name everyone, can I have some advice?) were already there.

"I'll ask Garet to join you. It'll be a reason for him to get out of palace duties and go kick butt, I'm sure he won't say no," Jenna said determinedly. Three Mars djinn flew out from her.

"Jenna, the welfare of Vault is important too! If Garet is busy, don't force him!" Felix cried in alarm. But Jenna and her daughters were already gone on Tiamat. Sheba hugged Mia.

"We'll join you as soon as possible," she sniffed.

"Thanks, you guys. I really don't know what to say," Isaac said gratefully.

"Don't say anything, then," Hamma replied. Her face became serious. "I'd help if I could, too, but I have to return to my job…"

"What job?" Felix asked in surprise. Hamma blinked.

"Anyway, I'll be going to Contigo with you. I'll tell Ivan to watch out for Alex first," she said hurriedly, obviously evading Felix's question. She summoned Procne and climbed up on its feathery back, motioning for Isaac and Mia to do the same.

"See you sometime, then," Sheba said doubtfully, wondering if she should read Hamma's mind. The Jupiter adept would probably sense it and clam up, but she might be able to catch her off-guard if she was lucky.

Hamma nodded and Procne took off.

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Alex glanced behind him. Kristopher clutched onto the feathers of the Firebird tightly, his usually rosy face white with fear.

"Don't look so scared. As long as you cooperate and work with me, you won't have a hard time," he said. Kristopher looked down.

"I'm not supposed to work with bad people," he said quietly. Alex raised his eyebrows.

"Your father called me a bad person?"

"Mom did. She said you were the evil adept that took control of the Wise One, though you were once nice," Kristopher replied, his blue eyes large and worried. A memory stirred in Alex's mind. _Shit, should've read his mind more thoroughly._

"Who is your mother?: he demanded.

"M-Mia. Princess Mia of Lemuria," Kristopher stammered. Whatever colour left in Alex's face drained out. Silently, he cursed. Kristopher watched him, stunned at the sudden change in expression.

"We'll be nearing Kolima in a few seconds. You must be hungry. We'll eat there," Alex said shortly. Then he shut up.

Kristopher was puzzled. Alex suddenly seemed pretty nice. _Why?_

The Firebird landed on top of a flat rood. Alex dismounted and pulled Kristopher down.

"Get the child something to eat. I'm going to find the Venus Star," he instructed before he leapt off the roof.

The Firebird immediately swooped down to a fruit stall and grabbed three apples with its talons. With amazing grace and speed, it soared back up, ignoring the furious cries of the stall owner. Nimbly, it tossed two apples to Kristopher and started to peck at the third one.

"…Firebird? Do you know if Mister Alex knew my mom or something? He seemed so strange when I mentioned her," Kristopher said, staring hesitantly at the stolen apple.

"My name is Andrea. I've been with Alex for a few years; I sensed him in Sol Sanctum when I flew there. Yes, he knows Princess Mia. He once loved her, even though their age gap is way far apart. I believe he still does…" it said, sounding sad. (A/N: Whoa. Can monsters talk? I'm not sure… But hey, this is a giant one, it's… special?)

Kristopher dropped his apple. _Mom? It can't be!!_

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"Kolima. Do you want to stop, or head straight to Contigo?" Hamma asked.

"Head straight on, please," Mia said. "I want to find Kristopher as soon as possible."

Hamma nodded. Procne's tail shifted and she started to head east. Isaac suddenly gasped.

"Hamma! Over there! Alex's Firebird!"

Instantly, Procne turned sharply.

"KRIS!!" Isaac called, seeing a small figure beside the bird. Mia gasped and stood up.

Kristopher looked up. His blue eyes widened. "Dad!! Mom!! Over here!"

Andrea hissed and gave a sharp, ear-piercing whistle. A familiar blue mist appeared and Alex stepped out.

"Isaac. Mia. Nice to see you again," he said, smirking. Isaac felt suspicious. _Why isn't he calling her 'Princess'?_

"Alex, let Kristopher go!" Mia ordered, her weapon raised.

"I'm afraid not, Mia. And your attacks won't work on me either, I have the power of the Wise One," Alex replied, pulling Kristopher onto Andrea's back and climbing on.

"I've defeated you once and I'll do it again," Isaac growled.

"That was with the interference of Sol and Luna. Do you think they'll come now just to save your son?" Alex sneered. Andrea rose.

"No, but they will come when they realise you're after the Elemental Stars," Hamma said. Alex's forehead creased. His hand raised a small bag woven from mythril.

"As expected from a Seer. I'll have you know that the Venus Star chose to hide in Kolima," he said, taking out a small brown orb.

"Odyssey!" Isaac cried, leaping off Procne, his Sol Blade drawn. Alex put the mythril bag on Andrea's back and jumped down with the Shaman's Rod in his hand. A purple barrier generated by the wooden staff blocked Isaac's long blade, then exploded.

"…Seems like the power of your psynergy has improved a lot. Or is it because of your weapon?" Alex questioned, eyeing the Sol Blade. Nothing looked out of place. "Diamond Berg!"

"Shade!" Mia unleashed the bright blue djinni, blocking Alex's blow. Her eyes were flashing with anger. "Ice Missile!"

"Clay Spire!"

Spires of earth and ice came crashing down. Loud cries were heard from the unfortunate victims in the marketplace. Alex dodged most by jumping, but he could not maneuver well in mid-air, and was crushed onto the roof by several shards.

Andrea swooped down and unleashed streams of fire at the two adepts.

"I've no time to play with you now!" Alex snarled, healing himself with Ply Well. He put one hand on Andrea.

Hamma held up a long white wand and pointed it at Alex.

"Super Psy-Seal!" she called. The staff glowed brightly. A white energy ball appeared near Alex's chest and sank slowly in.

Alex yelped. Gritting his teeth at the hot, searing pain, he raised his Masamune.

"Diamond Dust!" Nothing happened. No blue glow came to his hands; no psynergy exploded out.

"My psynergy is self-explanatory," Hamma said, leaning on her wand for support. "Your psynergy will be sealed for thirty days. You no longer have the ability to warp."

She dropped to her knees, thoroughly exhausted.

Alex's face was pale. His deep blue eyes were cold and filled with fury.

"You will regret this. I know of your _job_, Master Hamma. And I'm not going to make it easy for you," he snarled. He climbed slowly onto Andrea.

"Douse!"

"Mother Gaia!"

This time Andrea did not use Kristopher as a shield. She simply dodged every single blow. Looking directly at the worried parents, her eyes softened.

"Don't worry. Prince Kristopher will not be harmed," she said gently. "Continuing your pursuit might, however, prove harmful to him. Please leave."

"NO!" Mia rushed forward, tears springing to her eyes. Hamma stopped her. The three flew north.

"The Firebird will soon run out of energy. They can't go far. And she's right; Alex won't harm Kristopher. At least not yet. The Elemental Stars are more important. And I have to return to my job. Immediately," she added.

"…" Mia could not say a single word. Her head hung down, and tears continued to roll down her cheeks.

"Mia, it's okay. I… I trust that bird," Isaac said gently. _Somehow, those eyes… I just know they're telling the truth._ "Her expression wasn't evil. Kris is probably safe."

Mia continued to sob. Her hands moved and covered her face. Isaac wanted to kick himself. _Now I probably seem like an uncaring father. But… I have to think straight!_

"We have to get to Contigo. Now," Hamma said urgently, climbing onto Procne, who was by now pretty tired.

_Why?_ Isaac couldn't resist asking himself. _Stupid me, but why?_

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"Isaac! Mia! Master Hamma!" a clear, familiar voice rang out. A large, purple dragon flew up beside Procne.

"Hello, Tiamat. Hello, Garet," Hamma greeted, her grave face lighting up.

"Jen's told me everything. Have you found that dumb Alex yet?" the prince of Vault demanded. Hamma shook her head wildly, indicating Mia. Garet ignored her, pouring out a stream of curses and swears.

"He managed to escape. With Kristopher," Isaac replied heavily. He put an arm around Mia, who ignored him. Ever since Alex flew off a second time with her son, Mia kept to herself and was seemingly oblivious to everyone around her.

Procne landed in Contigo and disappeared. The three tired Jupiter djinn flew back to Hamma.

A green flash of light appeared next to them and a much taller Ivan appeared with the Teleport Lapis.

"Ivan, help them to look for the Jupiter Star. I have to return to the sanctum," Hamma said hurriedly. She transferred seven Jupiter djinn to Ivan, took the Teleport Lapis and disappeared.

"Ivan, what's wrong with your sister?" Isaac asked. The blond boy pressed his lips together.

"Not much. She has her job, after all," he said quietly. "Come on. We have to find the Jupiter Star."

He reached into a small pouch and took out a yellow star-shaped crystal.

"Psynergy Crystal?" Garet asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's like a detector. When Psynergy Crystals are near an Elemental Star, they flash. Feizhi saw it," Ivan explained. "But other than that, we have no other clue."

"Meaning we have to walk around until the crystal blinks?" Isaac exclaimed. Garet looked slightly put out.

"I'm afraid so. Let's start walking."

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Ahhh, this took me ages. Simply ages.


	4. Air's Rock

Sorry for the delayed update. I ran out of ideas, so I couldn't write for some time…

Wait, that was my excuse the previous time! XX But it's true…

Also, I seem to have done an OOC in this one cries Please give me the constructive criticism I need if so!

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Black Demon567: I guess I don't really know you then… -;

Princess Viv: Thank you! I'm not sure if this chapter is so good… Like I said above, someone seems to be OOC….

Spirit Seer: Thank you!

Jake Delfeir: Yeah… And you know what's worse? I completely forgot about bringing a camera. pulls face And thanks! I didn't think it was that good!

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Chapter 4: Air's Rock

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"Can't you just use your psychic powers to find the Elemental Stars?" Garet groaned, wiping sweat off his forehead. Ivan shook his head.

"I can't peer into a crystal ball and see whatever I want to see. Premonitions come to me randomly," Ivan explained patiently.

"Hamma seems to be able to," Isaac pointed out. They had been walking around Contigo for the past four hours, and there was still no sign of the Jupiter Star.

"Yes, she uses a crystal ball, but it doesn't work all the time, 100 clear. Besides, the future can be changed," Ivan said. "I'll try again."

He closed his eyes. Almost instantly they popped open.

"That way… To the Air's Rock!" Ivan exclaimed. He started to race off. Garet groaned again and forced himself to run.

"Can't we get the djinn?" he panted.

"They're still on recovery," Isaac replied. "Except Mia's…"

The water adept continued running along, her face pale and expressionless. Isaac sighed.

The four went on until they exited Contigo and came to a fairly large plateau. Here the psynergy crystal began to glimmer softly.

"Inside," Ivan said confidently as he cast Reveal, opening a small entrance in the side.

Immediately after entering, they were greeted by a big stone face. It was brown, covered with moss, and had several vines hanging down loosely from it. It lay flat against the ground, with a pointed nose and a crack for the mouth.

"Garet? Do you have Burst?" Isaac asked.

"Are you asking me if I have Burst?"

"YES."

"Isaac, you have no sense of humour…" Garet muttered, raising his hand. A fireball appeared on the crack and exploded. A groan erupted from the statue, and part of the mouth fell away, revealing stone teeth and opening the mouth.

Ivan climbed onto the statue and peered into it. The psynergy crystal clamped tightly in his hand started to flash.

"In here!" he called. His free hand reached into the statue. Immediately, the teeth of the statue clamped onto his arm.

"…OWWW… You know what? OWW!" Ivan cried.

"Ooookay…The mystery of the biting stone statue. So, how do we free him?" Garet asked.

Isaac focused his psynergy onto the lower jaw. "Move!" It did not budge. Garet laid his hand on the stone as well. It still stayed stubbornly on Ivan's arm.

Ivan groaned. He tosses the psynergy crystal to Garet and put his hand on the statue. It glowed.

"What does it say?"

"Well, it's protecting something. Only a Jupiter adept can get it out. Probably the Elemental Star, of course. But I have no idea how I'm supposed to get it out," Ivan replied. He cast Whirlwind on the statue. The vines and moss disappeared, and the mouth opened.

"All right!" Garet joyfully reached in. His fingers closed over a tiny solid and he pulled it out. It was small and purple, similar to the one Alex had held.

Suddenly, there was a gushing sound. Water rushed out of the mouth of the statue. The exit slammed shut. With a strangled yell, Garet rushed off. He climbed up stone steps leading to a ledge near the top of the plateau.

"I HATE WATER!"

"Quick, let's go!" Ivan raced for the steps as water began to flood. Isaac grabbed Mia and followed suit.

Standing on the ledge, they watched the water level rise swiftly.

"Let's get out of here," Ivan said shakily. Garet nodded, then suddenly gasped and gave a hollow cough.

"Guys, I'm sorry but… I dropped it."

He pointed at the stone head. On top of the fully submerged statue was a shiny jewel. The Elemental Star.

"Great, Garet. Really great," Isaac sighed, smacking his forehead.

"Parch," Ivan said immediately. "It's the only way to get the star and escape."

He turned to Mia. "We need you to cast Parch right away."

Mia's head was lowered. "Once Alex gets all the stars he wants… He'll release Kristopher," she said. "I want to save Kristopher."

"Mia, give yourself a knock on the head!" Garet exclaimed, exasperated.

"You don't understand how I feel!" Mia exploded, turning to him with flashing eyes. "Your daughters haven't been kidnapped!"

"Excuse me, but we're trying to save the world here! Your son can wait!"

"That's enough," Isaac interrupted. "Mia, I want to help Kris too. But we can't leave the elemental star here for Alex to take. There's no guarantee that he'll release Kris after he gets the stars."

Mia shook her head stubbornly. "I know Alex. He'll definitely release Kristopher after he gets the elemental stars!"

"Mia!" All three were getting desperate. The water level was close to the ledge by then.

"I can't stop you from taking the star, but I won't help you take the star away from Alex," Mia repeated.

In a flash, Isaac's hand connected with her cheek with a loud smack. A shocked silence followed.

"I don't believe this is you, Mia," Isaac said quietly. His hand was stinging from the impact, and so was his heart. "You were always extremely considerate and caring, even about people you don't know. Why do the lives of others not matter to you anymore? They're innocent!"

Tears rolled down Mia's face. "Kristopher, he's innocent too! He hasn't done anything to deserve it!"

"Kristopher would ask you to save the star. He inherited your love and concern for the people. He would rather die for them," Isaac said firmly. He wrapped his arms around Mia and hugged her gently. "Please understand. Find the heart you threw away."

Slowly, Mia nodded. She closed her eyes. When they reopened, spirit shone in them like before.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't even thinking straight," she whispered. She walked towards the edge of the ledge and raised trembling hands. "Parch."

The water in the plateau started to disappear swiftly. The statue's mouth closed and soon all the place was dry.

Ivan leapt down and picked up the Elemental Star. Isaac waved his hand towards the closed exit and cast Spire. It opened immediately.

Before they could leave, however, the statue began to speak.

"Adepts with the elements, hear my warning. You must work together to keep Weyard safe. Take the elemental star and go."

"Um, so does that mean that the Jupiter Star was meant to be here? I thought it was in Sol Sanctum years ago," Garet said, rubbing his nose.

"Let's just get out of here," Isaac said. All four adepts ran out of the plateau.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm tired and starving. So how about a bit of light training, dinner and then bed?" Garet yawned.

"Garet. You do realise it's the middle of the afternoon?" Ivan said.

"Let's go visit Hamma, then," Isaac suggested. Ivan made a face.

"Isaac, one day you will find out what Hamma is doing. But not now," he replied. "Let's go to the inn and rest. Besides, you still have something important to do."

Isaac nodded. As Garet ran off for food, he slipped his hand into Mia's.

"We need to talk."

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Well, yeah. Mia acted funny, didn't she?

Thanks to Jake Delfeir for beta-reading!


	5. Contigo Chaos, Lalivero Losses

All right. I know I haven't been updating like I usually do. I've practically deserted my fics, and NOW. I. KNOW. WHY.

These few months I've been caught up with schoolwork and more importantly, choir practices. Well, I've decided now to throw my work aside. And choir won't be on until after exams, because our competition, the Singapore Youth Festival, just ended two days ago. (Not to mention we received _the_ highest award, Gold with Honours! XD)

And so, I think I can promise one chapter every week, less if I can make it! Hopefully more people will review, I was quite disappointed that chapter 4 received only 1. Or was it because of the quarrel? (sobs) Mudshippers, I'm not trying to break them up!

Daiward is taken from a friend, Daito/Edward. Not mine!

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Princess Viv: Thank you! I thought she'd be a little overprotective, but she's really changing overnight now. Thanks for the fic as well, I appreciate it!

P.S. Thanks for being a loyal reviewer; no one else came back…

EDIT: Oh my goodness. Viv, I've just read your profile. I can't believe this! I'm seriously going to miss you! And… no more contact/ Arrrrrgh… Just before that chapter… Viv, if you see this, your name will appear in possibly the next chapter or the one after. I hope you get the chance to read it. More importantly, I hope you'll be allowed on the computer and the internet again…

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Chapter 5: Contigo Chaos, Lalivero Losses

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Hamma put her hands together, one above the other. The black energy ball she was holding continued to turn. Black mists seemed to swirl around in it.

The energy ball expanded slowly for a while. Hamma sighed as she remembered Ivan looking for the Jupiter Star with Isaac, Mia and Garet. They had been searching since the previous day; she wondered if they had already succeeded. _I wish I could help them_, she thought and looked up. The huge statue of Luna in the sanctum looked back at her.

"Why me, Luna? Why me?" Hamma asked quietly. She wasn't expecting an answer, and was surprised to hear an amused voice in her head.

"Why not you, Hamma?" Thor asked.

"I am but a mere human being. I don't think I can handle this anymore. Knowing that everyday, so many evil people die… So many people who have committed minor sins dying… I have no confidence in handling this, not anymore," Hamma replied, choking back her bitter feelings.

Thor was silent for a while. "We gods were once humans too. We were adepts a long time ago. And we managed it. You can manage it, Hamma. All of us believe in you. So don't give up yet."

Hamma bowed her head in reply.

Just then, a flash of red and gold flew past.

In the room only accessable to the Guardian.

Hamma screamed.

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Ivan stood up.

"Your face is so white," Garet observed. "What's wrong?"

"Hamma's in trouble."

"Eh?" All three stared at him.

"She's in Contigo Sanctum. _Hurt_." Ivan's voice shook slightly. "I should have noticed it yesterday… It wasn't so obvious, so… What if we're too late!"

Isaac stood up, pushing away his breakfast. "Ivan, you're a Seer. Yesterday must have been a glance at the future, There might be a chance Hamma is still okay."

"Hs's right. Let's go to the sanctum now. We can't worry about whatever she's hiding now," Mia added. Ivan nodded slowly. Garet put away his plate without another word, much to the surprise of Isaac.

"Well, let's go!" Garet said.

They ran swiftly to the north of Contigo, where the Sanctum was located. A small building made of purplish marble was hidden behind several trees. Ivan cast Reveal and pushed a hidden switch beside the door. It opened smoothly without a creak.

As Isaac sprinted in after Ivan, he noticed a red-gold feather on the ground. A horrible thought dawned on him as he remembered Alex's words.

"I know of your _job_, Master Hamma. And I'm not going to make it easy for you."

He groaned and increased his speed.

"Isaac, it'd do us all good if you open your mouth instead of keeping every thought to youself!" Garet panted as he tried to catch up.

"I'm really worried now! Alex could be here!" Isaac cried. Ivan's face paled and he gritted his teeth.

"How do you know!"

"Firebird feather in the room just now!" Isaac called as he ran into the last room of the sanctum and slowed to a stop.

Nothing.

Ivan began hurriedly casting Reveal. "Hamma said there's a secret room… Oh dear…"

"Hey, calm down." Mia said. "Panicking won't help. Let's think of where the secret room might be located."

Garet leaned against the wall and rubbed his nose. A small panel on the wall gave way and he yelped as he fell. A mosaic on the ground rose and flipped over, then fitted into place again. The new mosaic had a circular shape and a strange design jutting out all across the body.

"A Teleport Circle!" Garet exclaimed.

"It can't be. There are so many holes between the mosaic pieces," Ivan said, shaking his head.

"Try it," Mia urged. "It may lead us to Hamma!"

Ivan stepped onto the circle and took a deep breath. If the circle didn't work, they would have wasted precious time. If it worked, they might not find Hamma. Even as he was thinking time was passing steadily. _I'll just have to try._ Everyone else stepped onto the Teleport Circle.

"Teleport!"

A flash of white light shone from the holes between the lines, and the four adepts found themselves in a different room. The floor was covered with a blood red carpet, unlike the previous rooms. Another glance around showed statues of Luna, Thor, Procne, Atalanta and a Jupiter Djinni standing around.

Far across the room, Hamma was holding a black, misty ball to her, breathing heavily. Fresh bruises and wounds covered her body. She glared angrily at the two figures in front of her.

Andrea and Alex.

"Hamma!"

The Firebird fixed its beady eyes on the adepts. Alex smiled sardonically at them.

"So, we meet again."

"What have you done to her?" Ivan shouted furiously, rushing to his sister. Mia quickly knelt down and cast Pure Ply.

"Nothing. I attacked the Darkness, and they attacked the Guardian," Alex replied calmly. "Probably to aid me in destroying her, of course."

"The Darkness? The Guardian?" Isaac found the terms unfamiliar.

"Shut yer crap and stop trying to act smart!" Garet yelled. "Where's Kristopher?"

Alex ignored him. He whispered something to Andrea, who whistled softly. He mounted the bird.

"Just you wait. When my psynergy returns, I will have my revenge!" Andrea flew up and soared through a hole in the roof.

"Damn!"

"Let him go, Isaac," Hamma gasped. The black energy ball in her hands was vibrating furiously. "Or he'll do worse!"

Mia, Garet and Isaac stared at her as if she was crazy.

"I mean it. He'll destroy this." Hamma summoned her psynergy and held the ball steady.

"I think it's time for some explaining," Garet said, folding his arms.

"…All right. There is a large amount of evil and darkness in Weyard. When a person who has sinned dies, his evil thoughts and dark spirits will flow to Contigo Sanctum." Ivan explained. "The Guardian is a person that makes sure all the evil essences, called the Darkness, are properly controlled and kept until they are purified and reincarnated after a period of 6 months. The Guardian needs to change every 50 years, as the Darkness around the world would by then be immune to the psynergy of the Guardian. In the past, the Guardian has always been a god."

"But this time they chose Hamma?" Isaac asked.

"Yes."

There was a pause as everyone paled, thinking of the heavy burden placed on Hamma's shoulders.

"I hate to interrupt, but Kristopher wasn't with Alex," Mia said suddenly.

"He might still be in Contigo!" Hamma cried. "Go, quickly!"

Leaving Ivan to look after his sister, the adepts ran out.

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"Move!" Kristopher again tried his psynergy on the wooden door. It refused to budge. He sighed tiredly and sat down, remembering the events of the previous day.

Alex had checked in at the Contigo Inn, locked him up, then went to search for the Jupiter Star. A few hours later he returned, took Kristopher and flew off to Lalivero. Again, he checked in at the inn, and locked him up, telling the innkeeper that he was "mentally disabled" and "unbalanced". Then he left with Andrea. Kristopher felt extremely hungry, and he was tired. But sleep refused to arrive.

Just then, the door creaked. A young boy about his age with untidy black hair popped his head in. Smiling, he entered with a tray of food and drink and placed it beside Kristopher.

"Hello. I am Daiward, the innkeeper's son. I sneaked this up, don't tell dad."

"My name is Kristopher. Thank you, I felt so hungry," Kristopher nodded his head gratefully and started on the rice and the vegetables, carefully avoiding the meat.

"Dad said you're crazy, and we weren't to go near you. That doesn't seem true to me," Daiward asked after a while. He had observed the quiet and polite 'madboy', and his eyes took in the rich and beautiful clothes Kristopher wore. _I wonder who he is._

"No. The man who took me here, Alex… he lied. He kidnapped me from Vale," Kristopher explained, putting down his bowl with a sigh. "I have no idea how I'm going to escape. He even evaded my parents."

"Really? Alex huh… But he seems really cool," Daiward said. It was Kristopher's turn to stare as if the other was suffering from mental disabilities. "Anyway, is this Alex holding you for ransom? A real kidnap's cool."

"No, I don't think so. He never mentioned a ransom… He said something about taking over the world, and that I'd be useful to him…" Kristopher frowned, trying to remember. Daiward put an arm around him

"Aw, come on. Things won't be so bad, he is so cool. I'm sure he doesn't mean any harm. Once he gets what he wants from your parents you'll be free," Daiward said cheerfully. "Who did you say your parents were?"

"Prince Isaac of Vale and Princess Mia of Imil," Kristopher replied. Daiward's jaw dropped.

"Say what?"

He stood up, shaking. "Maybe Alex is right. You _are_ insane!"

"Daiward! It's the truth! Please, believe me." Kristopher felt a horrible sinking feeling in his stomach. If Daiward thought he was lying and told Alex, goodness knows what Alex would do.

"I don't know what to believe." Grabbing the tray, Daiward ran out, locking the door behind him. Kristopher sighed and bowed his head.

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"Dad? You know the blond that the blue haired guy brought in?"

"The crazy one? Yeah, what? Don't tell me you've gone looking for him!" The innkeeper, Douglas said warningly.

"Well yes. I thought he'd be hungry, and he didn't seem unbalanced at first. But then he said he's the Prince of Vale."

"Say what!" Douglas voice mixed with the loud clattering of several pots and pans.

"Yeah. He said his father was a prince of Vale and his mother a princess of Lemuria. And that his name is Kristopher."

Immediately, a lady with violet hair knelt down beside Daiward. In her arms was a small baby boy.

"Please, can you allow me to see this 'Kristopher'?" she asked softly.

"Who are you?" Douglas asked.

"My name is Feizhi. I think I may know the boy you are talking about. Please let me see him."

"It wouldn't hurt, Dad," Daiward said. He felt immensely curious about the blond 'prince'.

"I guess not…"

" Come on." Daiward led Feizhi up the staircase and to the locked room where Kristopher was held. Feizhi peeped in at the small window, and gasped. As soon as she saw the Isaac-lookalike she knew she had found the right person. Uncertainly, Daiward unlocked the door, and Feizhi rushed in with her son.

"Daiward, he's not lying. This _is_ the prince of Vale!" Feizhi cried, hugging the amazed Venus Adept with one free arm.

"W-Who are you?"

"Ivan told me you were kidnapped by Alex. I'm so glad you're safe," she said happily. "Let's go quickly, before Alex comes back!"

"B-but…"

"You want evidence, don't you?" Feizhi placed Kristopher's fingers on her forehead. Kristopher saw in his head a faint scene of Feizhi passing the Sol Blade to Isaac.

"You're Feizhi…"

"Yes. Hurry, we don't have time!" Feizhi urged. She stood up and took Kristopher's hand. But someone blocked the doorway.

"Hsu's sister. I can't have you taking my charge away," Alex said calmly.

"Just try to stop me." Feizhi knew that Alex was no longer able to use his psynergy.

Alex waved his hand. Andrea screeched from outside the window and burnt off the wall, swooping down and breathing streams of flames.

Daiward screamed and ran off. Feizhi knew she had no chance with Kristopher on one hand and her son on the other. Her battle psynergy had never been very good. She started after Daiward.

"Quick, Kristopher, run!" Her head worked frantically for a solution. _How could I have forgotten the Firebird?_

Kristopher raced off, his heart thumping. But Andrea was too fast for him. Her talons grabbed his shoulders and lifted him.

"Andrea, burn." Alex ordered as he climbed on. The bird flew up and opened its mouth.

Feizhi screamed.

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All right, that's another chapter done!

Expect the next one soon!


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